It's got a bigger screen and works with Apple Pay. It lacks a battery boost, but it's...

The new $99.99 Xperia TL is the phone I’ve been waiting for from Sony for quite a while. Frankly it’s the handset the Xperia Ion should have been. Thanks to a swift 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and a camera that snaps high-quality images, the Xperia TL is both affordable and very capable. It’s right up there with HTC’s similarly priced One X, and a better deal than Samsung’s Galaxy S3. Of course having Daniel Craig whip the handset out in the latest Bond flick "Skyfall" while doing battle with Britain's bad guys doesn’t hurt, either.

Design
At first glance, the Sony Xperia TL doesn’t stand out much from the typical dark, rectangular slabs flooding today’s Android handset market. Clad in a buttoned-down all-black color scheme, though, I do admit the Xperia TL certainly won’t clash with a sharp tuxedo.

Measuring 5.1 inches tall by 2.6 inches long and 0.4 inch thick, the Xperia TL is practically identical physically to its predecessor, too, the Xperia Ion (5.2 x 2.7 x 0.4 inches). Both phones are constructed from darkly hued metal and glass as well, and feature 4.55-inch LCD screens with the same 1,280x720-pixel resolution.

The Xperia TL sports Sony's classic curved back.
Sarah Tew/CNET

The Xperia TL and Xperia Ion also tip the scales at roughly 5 ounces. The TL’s 5.1-ounce weight definitely feels more substantial compared with the Ion’s lighter 4.7 ounce heft. Above the screen sits a 1.3-megapixel camera to snap vanity and self-portrait shots, along with a thin earpiece and ambient light sensor. You won’t find any physical controls below the display; instead the Xperia TL relies on three software buttons spelled out in symbols for back, home, and recent applications.

All the Xperia TL's controls are placed on the phone's right side.
Brian Bennett/CNET

The only tangible controls run along the Xperia TL’s right edge in the form of a tiny power key, volume rocker, and camera button. On the phone’s left edge is a Micro-USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack is placed on top. You’ll see the phone’s main 13-megapixel camera and LED flash on back. Similar to what you'll find on HTC handsets, the lens protrudes from the surface slightly, which may annoy those who prefer it to be flush.

I do like how Sony adds a bit of design flair here with the back surface chiseled from anodized aluminum to resist scratches and dings. The phone’s 1,850mAh battery isn’t removable, however, but you can add additional memory via a microSD card slot, which is hidden under a rubber flap.

The Sony Xperia TL's back is crafted from anodized aluminum, which resists scratches and dings.
Sarah Tew/CNET

Display
The Sony Xperia TL uses a large 4.55-inch (1,280x720-pixel) LCD screen, which gets very bright and presents details sharply. Compared with AMOLED screens, such as the ones found on the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Motorola Droid Razr HD, contrast was low and viewing angles narrow. Sony’s Bravia Engine software setting tried to address some of these issues but just made colors look wildly oversaturated.

Software and UI
Thankfully the Xperia TL comes with the modern Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system preloaded. That’s a far cry from the Android 2.3 Gingerbread used by the TL’s predecessor. Of course this isn’t Google’s most recent version of Android, 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The lock screen is very basic, just a long virtual slider you drag from left to right along the bottom edge. A digital clock displays the current time and date in a thin, sophisticated font, but there are no quick launch icons to jump straight to important phone functions here. Swiping right though will push the clock to the side in favor of music playback controls.

The Xperia TL's lock screen is basic.
Brian Bennett/CNET

There are five home screens at your disposal, and you can fill them with widgets, application shortcuts, and wallpapers as you see fit. By default the Xperia uses the "Skyfall" theme that has the iconic James Bond gun-barrel eye view as the main backdrop; 007 sound effects are loaded, too, for e-mail alerts and ringtones.

Configure the home screen to your tastes.
Brian Bennett/CNET

Features and apps
Thanks to its Android software, the Xperia TL comes equipped with all the skills that qualify it as a true Google device. It connects to all the standard Google apps and services, such as Gmail, Maps, and Navigation. There are also shortcuts to enter the Google Play store for books, music, and movies. You’ll find useful third-party applications as well, like the Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader app, and MobiSystem OfficeSuite for viewing common business document formats. Of course, the entire Android software library is ready for you to download via the Google Play store.

Just like the Xperia Ion, the Xperia TL supports access to Sony's own multimedia storefronts, called the Sony Entertainment Network. A Music Unlimited app will either stream custom radio stations, playlists, or specific tracks and albums for a $9.99 monthly fee. You can also store tunes locally for offline playback, which is very helpful for surviving long subway trips. Sony's Video Unlimited service, similar to services from other phone makers like Samsung and HTC, lets you rent or own movies and TV shows. For new releases, prices run about $4 to rent and $15 to keep.

About The Author

Brian Bennett is senior editor for appliances at CNET and reviews a wide range of household and smart-home products. These include everything from microwave ovens, blenders, ranges and coffee makers to personal weather stations. An NYC native, Brian now resides in bucolic Louisville, Kentucky where he dreams of someday owning the sparkling house of the future.